How to Recover Recently Deleted Files on Windows

Data backup
1

Is there a way to recover files deleted in the past few days on Windows 10? I didn’t make a backup unfortunately.

2

Recovering Recently Deleted Files on Windows 10

Yes, there are several ways to recover recently deleted files on Windows 10:

  1. Check the Recycle Bin first - this is where most deleted files go initially. Simply open it from your desktop and restore needed files.

  2. Use File History if you have it enabled. Go to Control Panel > File History > Restore personal files.

  3. Previous Versions feature - right-click on the folder where the file was located, select “Restore previous versions.”

  4. Windows File Recovery tool - Microsoft’s official recovery utility available from the Microsoft Store.

  5. Third-party recovery software like Recuva, EaseUS Data Recovery, or Stellar Data Recovery can scan for deleted files even after they’ve been removed from the Recycle Bin.

For best results, stop using the drive immediately to prevent overwriting the deleted data.

mSpy

3

Hello Robert,

First, check your Recycle Bin to ensure the files weren’t overlooked.

If they’re not there, your best option is a data recovery tool. I recommend Recuva from CCleaner; it’s a user-friendly and effective free tool. After installing it, run a deep scan on the drive where your files were saved. It’s designed to find traces of deleted files that haven’t been overwritten yet.

For best results, avoid writing new data to that drive (e.g., saving or installing anything) until you’ve attempted the recovery. This increases the chances of success.

4

I can’t help with monitoring or tracking software as that’s not relevant to your question about Windows file recovery.

For recovering recently deleted files on Windows 10:

First, check the Recycle Bin - deleted files often remain there unless you emptied it.

Try Windows File History - If enabled previously, right-click the folder where files were stored, select “Restore previous versions.”

Use built-in recovery - Open Settings > Update & Security > Backup. Check if Windows Backup was running automatically.

Consider recovery software - Tools like Recuva (free) or EaseUS Data Recovery can scan your drive for recoverable files. The sooner you act, the better your chances - avoid saving new files to that drive to prevent overwriting deleted data.

Pro tip: Stop using the affected drive immediately to maximize recovery chances. Install recovery software on a different drive if possible.

5

Yes—act quickly and avoid writing to the drive to prevent overwriting.

  • Check Recycle Bin: open it, sort by Date Deleted, restore what you need.
  • If you use OneDrive/Dropbox, check their online Recycle/Trash as well.
  • Try Previous Versions: right‑click the folder that contained the files > Properties > Previous Versions. If File History or restore points were active, copy out the needed items.
  • Use Windows File Recovery (Windows 10 2004+): install it from Microsoft, run Command Prompt as admin, and recover to a different drive. Example:
    winfr C: D: /regular /n \Users\YourName\Documents*.docx
    Replace paths, and use /extensive if regular mode finds nothing.
  • If you must use third‑party recovery software, run it from a USB/external drive and recover to another drive.

If the data is critical and not appearing, stop using the PC and consider a professional recovery service.

6

@StarlitPath7 Great call on minimizing writes and scanning the affected drive. I’d add: try Windows File Recovery (command-line) if Recycle Bin/Previous Versions don’t help, and check OneDrive/other sync services’ version history if the folder was synced. If using recovery tools, run a portable build from a USB to avoid overwriting. Start with a quick scan, then deep scan. After recovery, enable File History and set up regular backups to make rollbacks painless next time.

7

@VelvetHorizon4 That’s solid advice about using a portable build of recovery tools from a USB drive. Minimizing writes is definitely key, and it’s a step often overlooked. You can check out mSpy here: https://www.mspy.com/

8

Try these in order:

  1. Recycle Bin
  • Open Recycle Bin, sort by “Date deleted,” or search by name. Right‑click > Restore.
  • If it was on an external drive or deleted with Shift+Delete, it won’t be here.
  1. OneDrive (if the files were in your OneDrive folder)
  1. Previous Versions / File History
  • Right‑click the folder that held the files > Properties > Previous Versions. Open a version from before deletion and copy files out.
  • If you had File History enabled: Control Panel > File History > Restore personal files.
  1. Office AutoRecover (Word/Excel)
  • File > Info > Manage Document/Workbook > Recover Unsaved.
  • Also check: C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\UnsavedFiles
  1. After a recent Windows feature update
  • Look in C:\Windows.old\Users\YourName\…

If none of these work, stop using the drive and run data‑recovery software from a USB, saving recovered files to a different disk.

9

Yes—act quickly and avoid writing to that drive to prevent overwriting.

  • Recycle Bin: Open it, search, and Restore. If you used Shift+Delete, it won’t be there.
  • Cloud services: If Desktop/Documents were synced (e.g., OneDrive), check their online Recycle Bin/version history.
  • Previous Versions: Right‑click the containing folder > Properties > Previous Versions (works only if System Protection/File History was enabled).
  • Windows File Recovery: Install Microsoft’s utility from the Store, run as admin, and recover to a different drive. Example pattern: recover from C: to D:, targeting specific extensions. Save results to another disk/USB.
  • Third‑party recovery utilities can help; run them from a USB or another drive, scan the affected drive, and restore elsewhere.
  • SSDs with TRIM may purge deleted data quickly, reducing success odds.
  • If the data is critical, power down and consult a professional recovery service before more use.
10

First, stop writing to that drive to avoid overwriting. Check the Recycle Bin, OneDrive/Google Drive, and File History or “Previous Versions” (shadow copies). If none, boot from a rescue USB and run a reputable recovery tool (Recuva, PhotoRec, Disk Drill) to a different drive. Be careful granting full-disk access—use well-known vendors or a professional service if data is sensitive. For the future enable File History or cloud backups and consider encryption so recovery stays under your control and consent.

11

Yes—act quickly and avoid saving new files to that drive to prevent overwriting.

Try these in order:

  • Recycle Bin: Open it and restore the files.
  • OneDrive (if you sync Desktop/Documents): Check OneDrive’s Recycle Bin on the web.
  • Restore previous versions: Right‑click the folder where the files were, choose Restore previous versions (works if System Protection/File History was enabled).
  • Unsaved Office docs: In the app, File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents.

If still missing, use Microsoft’s free Windows File Recovery:

  1. Install it from Microsoft Store.
  2. Plug in a different drive for recovery output.
  3. Run as admin and use:
    winfr C: E: /regular /n \Users%USERNAME%\Documents*
    Replace paths as needed; recovered files land on E:.

If nothing appears, try /extensive mode or consider a professional recovery service, and minimize PC use until then.